Thermometer



March 10, 1942.

H. A. TEBBEN THERMOMETER Filed June 22, 1 940 INVENT OR.

ATTORNE).

HENRY A. T555: N.

Patented Mar. 10, 1942 UNITED American Thermometer Company, St.

Louis,

M0., a corporation of Delaware Application June 22, 1940, Serial No. 341,862

3 Claims. (Cl. 73-376) This invention relates to thermometers and instruments of like character, and more particularly to the supporting panel upon which the bulb element of these instruments is adapted to be mounted.

An object of the invention is to provide adequate protection for the bulb of a thermometer or like instrument.

Another object of the invention is to render the protective portion of the panel entirely rigid and self-supporting.

Another object of the invention is to insure full circulation of air around the thermometer bulb while protecting it from damage.

Another object of the invention is to facilitate manufacture of such devices, thus rendering them economical to produce and low in cost.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing wherein:

Fig. l is a front elevation of a thermometer and supporting panel embodying the invention,

Fig. 2 is a rear View of the device illustrated in Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on the line IIII[I of Fig, 1, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows, and

Fig. 4 is a sectional View taken on the line IV-IV of Fig. 1 looking in the direction indicated by the arrows.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, the supporting panel l0, forming the subject matter of the invention, may be formed from a single sheet of material, preferably metal. The panel may be stamped, pressed or otherwise shaped with a dished or convex curvature in cross-section and having a curved flange l2 at the upper end. The flange I2 is provided with a small hole ll whereby the device may hang from a support on a wall or other surface. It will be apparent that when so supported the marginal edges of the sides and upper end of the panel will engage the surface while the median portion M of the rear face and the lower end will be spaced therefrom. The front face of the panel I!) may carry indicia [6 of the usual form in devices of this character. In the device shown the panel and indicia are painted in contrasting colors but it will be apparent that other common finishing methods may be employed as desired.

A stem l8 and bulb of a thermometer may be secured to the front face of the panel in any through which air may circulate around the bulb suitable manner, such as by the clips 22 located at opposite ends of the stem 18 beyond the indicia l6.

This invention is more particularly directed toward the provision of means to protect the bulb 20 against damage while providing for free circulation of air therearound. To this end the lower portion of the panel is provided with a series of slits or cuts 24 extending part-way across the face of the panel III. In the drawing, siX such cuts 24 are shown, but it is apparent that any desired number may be used, depending upon the size and length of th bulb 20. The strips of material lying between the cuts 24 are struck or pressed outwardly from the plane of the panel l0 and alternately toward the front and the rear thereof. The strips 26 which extend toward the front of the panel are preferably arched or convexly curved to a greater extent than the curvature on the panel Ill. The strips 28, however, which extend toward the rear of the panel are substantially flat and lie wholly within the boundary of the curvature of the panel It. It will be apparent that this construction forms a cage-like opening in the panel and permits the bulb 20 to be inserted between the strips 26 and 28 and be spaced therefrom. At the same time, the strips 28 will not interfere with the suspension of the thermometer support flat against a wall or other surface.

It will further be apparent that while the strips 26 and 28 project outwardly from the plane of the panel in a transverse direction, they are all substantially parallel with the plane of the panel in a longitudinal direction. This construction of the protective cage provides openings on all sides 20 in all directions. At the same time the projection of the strips 26 and 28 toward both the front and the rear of the panel Ill provides an enclosure for th bulb 20 which will protect it from injury or damage in all directions. The feature of protecting the bulb from the rear is of considerable importance when the instrument is used on services which require it to be handled frequently, such as in cooking, candy making or fat frying service.

From the foregoing description it will be apparent that a thermometer support has been provided which may be made from a single piece of material with a minimum of labor and at a very economical cost and which will adequately protect the instrument regardless of its manner of use.

I claim:

1. A support for a thermometer and like instrument, comprising a panel of sheet material having means for securing the instrument thereto, and a guard on said panel within which the bulb of the instrument is housed, said guard being formed of a plurality of strips integral with said panel and extending alternately in opposite directions from the plane thereoftransversely of said bulb and providing a cage through which air may circulate in all directions around said bulb.

2. A support for a thermometer and like instrument, comprising a panel of sheet material having means to secure the instrument thereto, and a guard on said panel within which the bulb of the instrument is housed, said guardbeing formed of a plurality of strips struck up from the material of said panel and projecting alternately to the front and the rear thereof transversely of said bulb, said strips being arched transversely of the panel but extending parallel with the plane thereof to form a cage through which air may circulate in all directions around the bulb.

3. A support for a thermometer and like instrument, comprising a panel of sheet material having means to secure the instrument against one face thereof, said panel having a convex curvature in transverse section, and a guard on said panel within which the bulb of the instrument may be wholly received, said guard bein formed of a plurality of strips struck up from the material of said panel and projecting alternately to the front and the rear thereof transversely of said bulb, the strips projecting to the front having a relatively greater convex curvature than said panel transversely thereof while the strips projecting to the rear lie wholly within the boundary of the curvature of said panel, all of said strips extending longitudinally parallel with the plane of said panel and forming a cage through which air may circulate in all directions around the bulb.

HENRY A. TEBBEN. 

